There have been a fair few changes going on at Google lately. Google Reader has gone, much to the disgust of many a geek / blogger, last week Google Latitude was switched off. I’m wondering though, is Blogger from Google a Dead Man Walking?
Google Latitude was killed and rolled into Google+, as Google+ Locations – I’ve got a funny feeling Google might do something similar with Blogger.
Blogger is a bit stale and hasn’t changed massively in a while, they are slowly starting to pull in more and more Google+ ‘stuff’ into it – Hangouts, Commenting etc. Does this signal that it will somehow be rolled into Google+ ?
Google are obviously keen for people to use Google+, and to be honest, rightly so, it’s a pretty decent social network (photo issues aside). Google are pulling all their services into it, Picasa, GMail, Locations, heck even YouTube. I honestly think we’ll see a ‘Google+ Blogs’ sometime in the future, where your blog is essentially a ‘Page’ attached to your account. You can see Google are keen to put everything into a ‘standard’ look and Blogger as it stands doesn’t fit into it.
I can imagine such changes would probably cause massive outcry, stress, and anger – similar to Google closing Google Reader. As with that, it’s not a service you’re paying for and Google can and will stop you from ‘playing with their ball’. It’s part of the reason I wanted to go self hosted, all the content is mine, on my server, unless their is some terrible disaster, it’ll always be online somewhere. When you’re writing on someone else’s system and they have the right to pull it away, it’s a bit worrying.
I don’t know, this is obviously speculating – Google haven’t announced anything, but I’ve just got a niggling feeling that Blogger from Google is a Dead Man Walking.
OMG. This actually hadn’t occurred to me but I think you’re right.
Are you self hosted and using WordPress? I’ve no idea what the options are regarding not using Blogger!
I am – I use a fab UK hosting company called Vidahost – I wrote a bit about them here – https://www.kiphakes.com/2013/06/want-to-self-host-your-blog-try-these-guys-and-get-10-off-too.html
I really hope they don’t. I’m a writer, pure and simple, I have no idea how to do self hosted or wordpress or HTML layouts and things. For me, it’s about my content, not flashy backgrounds. I can see what you are saying regards them closing it as their wish as we don’t pay, the same as I lost my blog from 2006-2009 when Myspace relaunched and removed the blog content without warning, but I hope they do just phase it in and give it a new name and not ditch it completely
To be honest, moving over to self hosted is pretty simple – it’s all about the support from the host. Vidahost do a ‘1-Click’ Installation of WordPress with their hosting – I wrote a bit about it here – https://www.kiphakes.com/2013/06/want-to-self-host-your-blog-try-these-guys-and-get-10-off-too.html
I don’t think it will happen. I spent 6 years on Blogger before I went self hosted so I am backed up, but I would still be disappointed if they killed it.
But I don’t think they’ll do it because they have taken many steps to make Blogger part of G+.
I can definitely see why you think this will happen but I am hopeful that it won’t, don’t think I could handle having to swap everything over to another platform
I agree, it was why I moved to SH, more control and its mine in a sense! People need to be more wary!
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